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Visit Sali on your boat trip to Kornati islands

calendar iconJun 25, 2021

What is Sali? The biggest settlement on Dugi Otok and the administrative centre of the island, is located on the island`s north-eastern coast. Sali village on Dugi Otok is an unavoidable spot after boat trips aimed towards exploring the nearby Kornati National Park, a must-see location for all travellers and visitors in Croatia.

This atmospheric village is named for medieval salt production on Dugi Otok island. Throughout history, the village population switched from salt production to fishing and lastly to tourism, as their primary source of income.

sali riva
Take a stroll around the promenade in Sali

The wonderful coastal settlement of Sali on Dugi Otok island will offer you interesting sights and a unique atmosphere on your boat excursion in the Zadar archipelago. Being the last stop on your True Nature of Kornati day trip, this lovely place can serve either as a reason for a quick siesta or an incentive to look around this charming coastal village and learn some of its secrets.

Your experienced Zadar Archipelago crew can tell you about some local points of interest you can explore while stopping in Sali.

Discover a library out of time and place on your day trip

Visit a unique gem, which is totally out of a place of the whole Croatian Adriatic vibe. Located in the centre of town, a quaint library, visually reminiscent of New York book cafes, is placed right on the seaside promenade.

Entering it, you will feel like you’re in someone’s living room, with books on all the European languages. There are instruments, computers, telescopes and comfy sofas, where you can relax and read a book of your choosing.

The unique atmosphere of the library will surely entice you to stay as long as you can. In its member list, the library has people from more than a hundred different locations, from all around the world, which does not surprise me, seeing that the library opened in 1905.

sali library
Charming library in Sali – Photo by: @journal.hr

Take a quick dip on nearby beaches

Since you can walk from one side of Sali to the other in 15 minutes or less, you can expect to find some gorgeous private beaches just a couple of minutes from the town`s centre.

After a boat trip filled with excitement, some guests certainly appreciate a refreshing dip in the crystal clear waters of the Croatian Adriatic sea.

Just follow the promenade in the bay out of town and you will surely spot a perfect piece of coastline just for you or ask a local to direct you to the nearest (and prettiest) beach around.

 

Sandy beach Sali Lojišće
Sandy bay Lojišće near Sali- Photo by @salvadodacosta

Enjoy local gastronomy on your boat tour

Sali may not have high-class fine dining establishments, but it does have charming family-owned restaurants, which will provide excellent dishes made with love.

Following traditional recipes and using only locally-sourced and fresh ingredients, be prepared to taste mouth-watering seafood dishes, alongside seasonal vegetables and homemade olive oil.

There are several restaurants to choose from, and they will maze you with freshly made dishes. You will get to enjoy the mouth-watering food, spectacular sea view and a unique atmosphere of a charming island town with centuries-old fishing traditions.

The mix of Dalmatian and Adriatic influences makes every meal in Sali a special experience, after which you can enjoy a delicious gelato on a terrace of a nearby bar with a view of the Sali promenade.

sali food gastronomy
Try out local gastronomy and fresh seafood in Sali on Dugi Otok- Photo by: @journal.hr

Listen to the traditional music – Tovareća Mužika in Sali

Sali is known to have a centuries-long fishing tradition – in accordance, every household had a cow blow-horn, used to make fish spotting signals.

As fishing gave way to tourism, the youth of the island used the instruments in a new way- by making unique musical noise. The first occurrence happened in the 1960s when a group of young wedding crashers followed a wedding procession while blowing in their horns.

Sali tovareća muzika
Tovareća Muzika aka Donkey music – Photo by: @m_rusha_

After the wedding, they were so pleased with their performance, that they decided to host annual processions which they dubber Tovraćema Mužika or Donkey Music.

The performance ends when the performers finish their procession by entering the sea and continuing to blow their horns until the water fills them up completely.

Sali Dugi Otok saljske užance
Saljske užance  – Photo credit by: @dugiotok_touristboard

Relax from the excitement on your boat excursion on the “stage of laziness”

Sync with the relaxed and slow atmosphere of this marvellous coastal settlement on your next boat trip. Islanders are so well attuned with their need to appreciate the finer things in life, that they have dedicated a small part of the town`s main square solely to the purpose of lazing around.

Ljenčarnica (roughly translated as the “place for laziness” or the “lazy stage”) is a place committed entirely to mid-day siestas, rest after work or any other form of idle dilly-dallying.

You can simply walk up to the stage, sit or lay down and enjoy the atmosphere of a totally unique town.

Linčarnica Sali dugi otok
Get lazy at Linčarnica (Lazy place) – Photo by: @hrvojemavra

Sightseeing Sali on Dugi Otok in 40 minutes on your boat tour

There are several notable buildings in Sali, represented mostly in sacral architecture, like the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Walk through the charming streets of this charming village and discover the 15th-century Gothic church of Ascension.

Learn about the Glagolitic script, a type of writing system used by ancient Croatian natives who inhabited Dugi Otok island after the Greek settlers left or were assimilated into the local populace.

There are still some minor Greek remains, although they are not well preserved and far away.

Sali church
Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sali

Stopping in Sali on your way from the True Nature of Kornati day trip with Zadar Archipelago

After spending the entire day on a thrilling boat tour in Kornati National park, where you got to enjoy the best of beautiful Croatian nature, you can take a break after a day filled with activities in Sali.

Take a moment and enjoy the last spot before returning to Marina Zadar, you can disembark the speedboat and take in the quiet charm of Sali, a typical Adriatic fishing village.

The local islanders here, take great pride in their hometown, which is observable from numerous manifestations and mini-attractions that are scattered around this picture-perfect island settlement.

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